Surviving Picasso (1996)

Under-appreciated Merchant/Ivory Masterpiece!
If you have seen this film, you would no doubt be able to remember many scenes from this hidden gem. The performances are all top-notch, and why there's no DVD available is mind-blowing! It's filled with unforgettable one-liners, great sets and locales, beautiful montages, and the colors are rich and vivid, with perfect flesh tones from start to finish! The print is also very clean, while the overall cinematography is simply oscar-worthy! The casting could not have been better. Just have a look at the real Dora Maar, played by Julianne Moore. Her performance is just hypnotic! Surviving Picasso is about his relationships with the people in his life, and not so much about the history of his career, so it's not fair to say this film is lacking in that respect. Gilot's career as an artist is a fascinating one, and should be better known. Natascha McElhone's brilliant acting does just that! Merchant's passing should have stirred someone in charge of selecting new dvd releases to do right by both Ishmael and director James Ivory, for their incredible contribution to cinema, with the release of this masterpiece on DVD. The VHS version is crystal clear by the way, so don't think it's not worth the purchase. Nertheless, it would be a great addition to any DVD collection.

Eleonore Austerer
Wonderful film, outstanding performances on behalf of all actors and actresses, including Sir Anthony Hopkins. His looks and mannerism was so perfect that I forgot at times that I was not watching "Picasso in action".

While many facts shown in this movie are based on truth, we must not forget that the script was based on the novel by Arianna Huffington, who dared (in order to make a name for herself) interpreting Picasso's life by adding a heavy feminist slant. Yes, Picasso was eccentric as an artist and as a man, he was a Spaniard, born in 1881, in the most southern region of Spain (Andalusia) which was under Arab rule for centuries. Understandably, the mentality of a male of his generation is beyond Ms. Huffingtons' comprehention. But nevertheless, even though somewhat distorted by her overly feministic interpretation, "Surviving Picasso" it is an excellent, entertaining and historically speaking, worthwhile movie.

Eleonore Austerer
Wonderful film, outstanding performances on behalf of all actors and actresses, including Sir Anthony Hopkins. His looks and mannerism was so perfect that I forgot at times that I was not watching "Picasso in action".

While many facts shown in this movie are based on truth, we must not forget that the script was based on the novel by Arianna Huffington, who dared (in order to make a name for herself) interpreting Picasso's life by adding a heavy feminist slant. Yes, Picasso was eccentric as an artist and as a man, he was a Spaniard, born in 1881, in the most southern region of Spain (Andalusia) which was under Arab rule for centuries. Understandably, the mentality of a male of his generation is beyond Ms. Huffingtons' comprehention. But nevertheless, even though somewhat distorted by her overly feministic interpretation, "Surviving Picasso" it is an excellent, entertaining and historically speaking, worthwhile movie.